Mayor Tarfos wants the Watcher to escort Nesta around Stalwart and help hammer out the terms for a trade agreement with Defiance Bay. Tarfos has no confidence in his own negotiation abilities, so he wants the hero of White Forge to handle it instead.

Nesta is waiting inside the Gréf's Rest in Stalwart Village. Talk to her to start the negotiations. Be aware that Nesta's agenda is to turn Stalwart into an economic colony of Defiance Bay, making it reliant on food imports from the Dyrwood, as well as the military protection and skill of the Crucible Knights. Whenever she insists on doing something, it's an attempt to reduce Stalwart to the position of a junior partner and give the Bay an advantage.

Meet her by the fishery to discuss it being a potential liability. She believes that the fishery doesn't export much and is thus a drain on the resources that could be better spent on the White Forge. Closing it down could help convince investors that Stalwart is committed to maintaining its prosperity. You can defend the fishery by pointing out that it keeps Stalwart self-reliant and reducing operating costs by importing food or that keeping it open with foster goodwill and cooperation between Stalwart. Otherwise, you can agree with her, stay silent, or leaving the decision to her (which will result in her deciding that it should be closed).

Nesta will then move to Stalwart Mines to assess the security of the mines, waiting near the foreman's mines. She will remark on the incident and if you mention the real source of the problem, she will also remark that she will have to request a squad of Crucible Knights to protect the mines as part of the trade agreement. You can intimidate her to leave the vithrack out of the report or point out that the Knights will simply refuse such a low-prestige posting (or agree).

She will then ask you to meet her at the White Forge and express doubts about the qualifications of Stalwart's smiths, in a bid to secure exclusive access to the White Forge for the Crucible Knights. You can agree that only experienced smiths should use it (thus making it exclusive), request that Knights share their experience instead of taking over entirely, or make it so that only Stalwart-approved smiths can work.

Note that she will be attacked by brigands on the way if you did not clear the map or have an outstanding bounty there.

Return to Tarfos. He will comment on each of the three sections and be impressed if you manage to negotiate a contract that doesn't turn Stalwart into a Defiance Bay sweatshop, in particular if you avoid Knights taking over the Forge and the mines.

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